


Distraction

by luciebell_writes



Category: Gotham (TV)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-24
Updated: 2016-07-21
Packaged: 2018-05-23 01:46:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6100774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luciebell_writes/pseuds/luciebell_writes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Victor Zsasz had never cared about anything but his work until he met her. It was rare to find someone who saw past Victor's intimidating exterior so he found it necessary to protect the young woman at all costs - even if it distracts him from his initial calling.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My lovely tumblr followers prompted me to write a Zsasz/OC fic since he doesn't get nearly as much love and attention as he deserves.  
> This chapter might seem a little slow (and I honestly don't remember writing much of it) but I just want to establish a bit of my OC Maggie's character before exploring too much of the plot. It's also pretty darn difficult to write for Victor due to his lacking screen time; still, I gave it my best shot.
> 
> I'll try and get chapter 2 up as soon as I can so that the story progresses a little; this chapter is more of a prologue than anything yet I feel like it's essential for me to take my time. Hopefully you all enjoy!

Being a highly-skilled hitman, Victor Zsasz was able to watch his targets from afar, while being completely undetected. Nobody had ever sussed him out before it was too late; before Victor had completed his given task. As expected, Victor's abilities were incomparable and not one person had dared challenge him during a job – there was no point in trying to fight him after all. So he'd grown accustomed to his life in the mob business; quietly working through job after job, only having connections and not friends. None of that really bothered Victor though – how could he long for something that he'd never even experienced? It wasn't like Victor could miss a typical life because he hadn't had one ever. That highly unconventional life was the norm to him.

As for Margaret 'Maggie' Shaw, her life also wasn't aligned with that expected of a typical young woman. Like Victor, Maggie had chosen a life not fitting with traditionalism but she was trying her hardest to make it work – if not for her, then for those she valued most. Anyone who knew Maggie would've agreed that she was an utterly selfless person; juggling her part-time jobs as a librarian and barmaid with her full-time career as the carer of her ill father and two younger brothers. People would often pass her by on the street and, regardless of how drained or defeated she was feeling, Maggie would always make sure to muster up a smile. Even in her highly underpaid job, Maggie would treat everyone with the same politeness that she believed they all deserved; although she simply regarded herself as behaving like any normal human being would.

Since the new King of Gotham was incredibly studious, Oswald had requested a trip to Gotham's library; accompanied by Gabe and Victor, in the event of an emergency. As Oswald had Gabe search the shelves to retrieve his desired tomes, Victor decided to make the most of his time at the library. It wasn't like he had the spare time needed to become engrossed in a novel nowadays, but Victor had once been an avid reader; hence why he was content with strolling through the aisles, thoughtfully glancing over book covers and blurbs while his boss retrieved the necessary resources.

"Good morning. Can I help you with anything?"

Victor looked up to see a young woman watching him from the other side of the aisle. She had honey-coloured hair that had been lazily tied back in a ponytail and was dressed in a blouse and skirt that hugged her figure; outlining her shapely figure in a way which made it difficult for Victor to look away from her.

At first, he wasn't sure if it was him she was addressing with such a friendly smile but when she pointed to the book in his hands, it was clear that Victor really was who she was talking to. But even so, the hitman was incredibly taken aback. Honestly, Victor was unsure of what to say. He wasn't used to people so freely starting conversations with him – especially about something as trivial and to ask him what he wanted. In fact, Victor wasn't used to people so much as looking at him without a negative reaction but the librarian seemed to pay no attention to the hitman's unusual clothing or intense gaze.

"I'm alright." Was all Victor could manage as she headed over, a slight spring in her step as she did so. Victor's eyes wandered to her name tag, where the name 'Maggie' had been printed in bold black lettering. "I don't care for books."

"Then you're surely lost." She laughed, waving her hand to gesture all around them, at their undeniably bookish setting. "This is a library after all."

Victor's composure stiffened slightly as her arm brushed his. How the hell could she look at him and not be fazed? Moreover, how had she not noticed the gun in his jacket? "I'm fully aware of that." He stated, putting the novel back in its original place in an attempt to avoid further conversation.

"Is there anything in particular you're looking for?" Maggie asked, not moving away; it was evident that she was a little too…friendly towards strangers. In a city like Gotham, being nice was generally dangerous and Victor could already tell that this girl would be an easy target should she ever find herself in a difficult situation. He thought it a shame; especially since she was a pretty thing.

"No." Victor said quickly, taking a step away from the shelf; deciding that it was time to see if Oswald was ready to leave. Victor may have been many things but he didn't want to cause a scene, to scare such a seemingly-sweet girl.

"Well, if you need anything, come find me." She smiled politely even though Victor turned his back and began to leave. "I'm Maggie."

"I know." Victor turned to face her again. "Your name tag." He clarified, pointing towards said item.

Maggie couldn't help but chuckle slightly at that. "…And you are?"

Victor stared reluctantly at Maggie for a second; he wondered why she was so interested in talking to him. People usually weren't so friendly to strangers – especially when it came to Victor himself – his appearance and mannerisms always unnerved them, he scared most people. But not her.

"Victor." He answered shortly, still staying within a few feet of the blonde librarian. "Zsasz."

"I'll be sure to remember that." Maggie smiled warmly before turning on her heels to return to work; although she called to him over her shoulder as she hurried down the aisle. "It was nice talking to you, Victor."

Honestly, Victor had never met someone as charming as Maggie from the library. He didn't find her unattractive by any means and there was just a certain warmth about her, the way that she didn't even hesitate going over to talk to Victor, it was so unusually decent. It was stupid to contemplate the possibility but Victor couldn't help but wonder if Maggie really would bother to remember his name; she was probably too busy to dwell on such a meaningless fact but, even so, Victor wondered.

On the following day, Victor ran into Maggie again completely by coincidence; although this time she was less fresh-faced and her step had somewhat lost its spring. Their second meeting wasn't even at the library – far from it! Victor was on his way home from a job in the early hours of the morning when he encountered the all-too familiar blonde out in the alley with a garbage bag.

Victor's first thought was to ignore her and walk on by; after all, he'd just shot two men dead upon his new boss' orders and she didn't seem like the type of girl to find comfort in the company of a hitman. However when he noticed her struggling to lift the lid of the dumpster, Victor's shred of humanity intervened and prevented him from continuing on his way home.

"Need a hand?" He asked, appearing almost out of nowhere behind the blonde.

Naturally, she jumped upon hearing his voice and it took a second or two for her alarmed expression to soften. But when she did, it soon became evident to Victor that Maggie had indeed remembered him. "Victor Zsasz, right?"

Victor nodded, before lifting the top of the dumpster to allow Maggie to dispose of the black waste bag. "I thought you were a librarian." He said, glancing over to the sign on the door in order to decipher where she'd just left with the rubbish.

Maggie laughed somewhat defeated as she nodded in the direction of the building to their left. "By day I'm a librarian, but by night I help Gothamites drink their problems away."

Despite himself, Victor couldn't help but grin at her comment; particularly the way in which she seemed to maintain a smile while doing so. "Were you just leaving?"

"Yes, I was about to call a cab." She replied, moving back to the bar door to lock up, slipping the keys into the pocket of her jacket. "What about you? It's a bit late for a stroll isn't it?"

Well how could Victor possibly answer that question in all honesty? Nor could his mind so easily come up with a plausible cover story. "No." He quickly answered, almost without thinking. "I prefer this time of day; there aren't a lot of people around."

Although Maggie found Victor's choice of words to be somewhat strange, she still upheld her cheerful composure; all while she fumbled around in her purse for some spare change.

"I'll drive you home if you want." Victor said suddenly; surprising both Maggie and himself for that matter. He didn't know where the offer had come from but he didn't want to withdraw it; especially when Maggie accepted with a gratified smile.

All the way to the car, and even when she'd buckled up, Maggie didn't stop thanking Victor for proposing to drive her home. As such, it quickly became evident that such a small act of kindness was greatly appreciated. "Nowadays, acts of kindness are hard to find. Most people don't normally offer, not without wanting something in return." Maggie glanced out of the window. "I really appreciate it."

"Well most people wouldn't feel comfortable getting into the car of a strange man at 3 in the morning." Victor retorted as he pulled away from the street, his eyes on the road while his gloved hand shifted gears.

Maggie paused for a moment, watching Victor's hands move from the gearstick to the steering wheel. "Oh, I don't think you're strange."

Victor turned his head to throw Maggie a brief glance, believing her to be lying. "You don't?"

"Of course not." Maggie shook her head to confirm this, her tone sincere. "I'm not even a little intimidated."

Although Victor kept his eyes fixated on the road ahead in order to mask his surprise at Maggie's atypical opinion of him, she could sense that his body stiffened slightly; realising that people judged him on a basis of appearances, which saddened the blonde to know.

When they reached her house, Maggie began rummaging through her purse before taking out a wrinkled $5 bill which she held out to Victor. "Here…for the gas."

Victor shook his head and refused to take the money. "That's not necessary."

"Please, Mr. Zsasz…I don't want to be rude…" Maggie tried to slip the note into Victor's hand but he continued to reject the offer. "Can I at least owe you a favour? It wouldn't feel right to have you drive out here."

"Alright, fine." Victor sighed, relieved to know that Maggie would at least be able to sleep easy knowing that she'd repaid whatever imaginary debt she'd envisioned owing to Victor because of a mere drive home. Still, it was refreshing to have met someone who was still in possession of significant human decency – even if that was a completely foreign concept to Victor.

As Victor drove away, he noted how Maggie waved him off from the sidewalk; observing the way in which her smile never faltered through the rear-view mirror as he eventually drove out of sight. And he couldn't help but think of that smile all throughout his drive home. As much as it sickened Victor to acknowledge how easily the blonde had worked her way into his usually clear head, it was evident that Maggie was about to become a prominent distraction.


	2. Chapter 2

Since that day, Victor had evidently become less focused at work; his mind often accidentally replaying the scenario over and over, as if trying to tell the hitman that it had been significant. That meeting Maggie had really meant something. Of course it hadn’t; she was just another Gothamite waiting to shun him, nobody was so non-judgemental. 

Despite himself, Victor decided to go back to the library in the hopes that Maggie would be working a shift and, should that plan fail, he intended on trying the same bar later that evening in search of the cheery blonde. Victor didn’t know why but he felt a strong inclination to look out for her. It was evident that Maggie was too kind and trusting for her own good – and those kinds of traits acted as a hindrance to one’s survival in Gotham. 

To Victor’s delight, he did in fact find Maggie in the library that day. She was busy stocking the shelves with books so, unsure of how to casually approach her, Victor just observed her for a while. There was something almost therapeutic about watching the young woman; the way in which she hummed to herself as she returned the novels to their allocated places was somewhat amusing, and Victor found himself unconsciously cracking a slight smile. Maggie was oddly fascinating and Victor just couldn’t begin to place her. She was warm and polite yet she also evoked a certain aura of mystery; leaving Victor with a slight longing to know more about her. 

But the issue lied in the method. Although Victor was tactful when approaching a target on a job, being able to track down anyone almost effortlessly, Maggie was a different kind of challenge altogether. Even if she hadn’t been intimidated by him, Victor doubted that the blonde would appreciate being watched and followed in a similar manner – being stalked by a strange man who had no idea where his inclination to stay close to her had come from. It was sudden and unexplained and Victor hated feeling that way.  
As much as Victor needed to know why he felt the need to talk to Maggie again, he understood how inappropriate it would be to simply reappear before her without any reason to do so; hence why he left the library without a word. After all, the hitman had told the blonde that he didn’t care for books – thus it would’ve made more sense for him to run into her at her second place of work instead. Besides, it was about time that he took a night off.

~~~

The bar in which Maggie worked wasn’t anything like Victor expected it to be. He’d expected the modest size and the crowds at the bar, but not the almost decadent atmosphere. Evidently, the establishment had seen better days and those inside even more so; many of the customers were slumped over their drinks with a defeated disposition, having come to terms with the fact that their lives were insignificant among the city of the wealthy, corrupt and dangerous. As Victor squeezed his way through the men gathered in large groups around the room, he felt relieved to see Maggie at the bar; her gaze focused on an apparently stubborn stain on the counter as she scrubbed away at it. However, not even such grimy surroundings could diminish the warmth she radiated – although Victor obviously confined those thoughts to the recesses of his mind as he took a seat at the end of the bar, away from the intoxicated men that filled the room with loud conversation and drunken ramblings. 

Maggie sighed in defeat as the smudge refused to budge and glanced up from the bar to notice Victor sitting there, watching her with interest. “When did you walk in?” She asked with a weary smile, leaning against the bar. “What can I get you, Mr. Zsasz? It’s on the house of course…”

“Why’s that?” Victor appeared confused as Maggie took out a glass. “I have money.”

She chuckled a little at his almost bewildered expression. “You drove me home yesterday, remember? I owe you a drink at the very least.”

“You don’t have to do that.” Victor insisted, but Maggie refused to accept his persistence and quickly mixed a concoction of vodka and some darker liquid that he couldn’t quite identify in the glass before handing it over. “Thank you.”

The barmaid smiled when Victor accepted the gratuity and took a long drink from the glass. “Did you find a book that interested you?”  
Victor practically spluttered and had to set his drink down quickly. “What was that?”

“It’s just that you came by the library today, didn’t you?” Maggie cocked her head to the side; finding amusement in Victor’s speechlessness. “I have good eyesight. I saw you leave.”

Thankfully Maggie hadn’t realised that the hitman had been watching her from afar – Victor would’ve just got up and left at that. He hated the feeling of not being in control, yet Maggie had somehow effortlessly stripped him of that. She didn’t even know that she had.

Victor decided to hide from the question by taking a long drink from his glass. “This is good.” He told her; eager to change the subject. “How long have you been working here?”  
“A few years,” Maggie replied. “It’s not exactly what I imagined doing but I guess life is never what we planned it would be, right?” 

“I suppose so.” Victor didn’t want to admit it but Maggie’s words had provoked some deep thought within him – how could someone so cheerful and wise work in such a dismal and uninspiring place?

Victor spent the rest of the night watching as Maggie poured beer after beer and broke up several fights, all while maintaining a bizarrely friendly aura; conversing with those who were relatively sober with a cheerful smile in place. Sometimes she’d even turn her attention to Victor and engage in brief yet pleasant conversation with him about whatever trivial subjects that came to his mind as being appropriate. 

Waiting until the punters filed out the door, stumbling home to their families or to an empty apartment where they would continue to drink, Victor had full intention of driving Maggie home again. He followed her to the door, watching as she turned off the lights and locked up the bar from the outside. “Do you need a ride home?”

“Thank you but I can’t ask you to do that again, Victor.” Maggie insisted, heading down the alleyway and onto the streets in search of a cab, or an approaching bus.

“It’s too late for you to be out here on your own.” Victor said very matter-of-factly, continuing to follow the blonde down the street.

“I know, but I’m stronger than I look.” Maggie smiled, “Thanks for the consideration but you don’t have to worry about me.”

However, Victor wasn’t about to give up just yet. There was no way that he could let Maggie roam the streets alone in the early hours of the morning in search of a way home – in a city as dangerous as Gotham – not when he was more than capable of driving her to where she needed to go. “My car’s just there.” Victor nodded towards the black vehicle in the parking lot. “Please Miss Shaw—“

“Call me Maggie. There’s no need for formalities.”

“Only if you let me take you home.” Victor paused, “I…I don’t mean it like that. It would just reassure me to know that you arrived home safely.” His tone was becoming somewhat forceful, yet he was able to control it to avoid startling the blonde. 

Maggie glanced behind her at the street; there was no sign of a taxi so she sighed in defeat and nodded. “Alright, but this is the last time; it isn’t fair on you.”

~~~

It wasn’t long before Maggie fell asleep in the passenger seat of Victor’s car, her head resting against the glass as she snored softly. 

“You work too hard…” Victor remarked quietly, smiling to himself at Maggie’s sleepy form; his gaze alternating between the blonde and the empty road ahead. Honestly, although Victor knew that he should’ve been working, he had no regrets in taking the day off to try and figure out his inclination to look out for Maggie Shaw. Even if the answer was still unclear.

When Victor arrived outside Maggie’s house, he didn’t know how to wake her; too scared to touch her in case his rough hands damaged her fragility, too scared of seeing Maggie’s startled expression as his face was the one she woke up to. So Victor decided to wait patiently; turning off the car engine and making himself comfortable. 

Looking out of the window, Victor observed Maggie’s apparently small single-story home. One of the lights had been left on – or had been turned on by someone inside it – leaving Victor to wonder if the blonde lived alone. Did she have a boyfriend? It wouldn’t have surprised him; Maggie wasn’t unattractive and her friendly demeanour was obviously genuine. Maybe that was why Victor had taken a liking to her…

“I’m sorry. I must’ve dozed off…” Maggie yawned and sat upright; almost catching the hitman off guard. “How long have we been outside my house?”

“About half an hour.” Victor answered, quickly hiding his smile so to disguise the fact that he’d been subconsciously watching Maggie throughout that time. 

Her eyes suddenly widened in shock. “What? Oh my god, you should’ve woken me; I’m sure you’ve got better things to do than sit around in your car…”

“Not really.” Was Victor’s reply as his smile subconsciously returned when Maggie’s flustered disposition shone through. “Besides, you were clearly exhausted.”

“I wasn’t snoring, was I?” Maggie asked, blushing slightly.

Victor chuckled, “maybe just a little.”

“Well, I should be going…” Maggie announced, her cheeks somewhat pink. “But thank you for driving me home, you’re a good man, Victor.”

As she climbed out of the car, Victor found himself at a loss for words; nobody had ever said those words to him before, and he had no idea what to say in response. Because Maggie hadn’t seen his true colours. If so, she wouldn’t even be able to look at him without cowering in fear, never mind smile at him in such a gentle way. “Remember, I owe you a favour.”

“How about dinner in town one evening?” Victor suggested so quickly that his mind hadn’t even comprehended the pros and cons that came with such a bold statement. After all, Maggie could’ve had a boyfriend for all he knew. “If you want to, of course.”

“That’s really what you want?” Maggie tittered anxiously as she glanced behind her at her house, quickly mulling over what Victor had requested. 

Sensing her reluctance, Victor shook his head; barely able to meet her bright blue eyes. “I apologise, you’re clearly uncomfortable with that and I can’t blame you…”

“No, it’s not that I don’t want to. I’m just surprised that, out of everything you could’ve asked for, you want to have a meal with me.” She laughed shortly. “I mean, I’m hardly interesting.”

“I think you are.” Victor insisted, clearing his throat. “But I don’t want to force you.”

Maggie nodded as her lips curled upwards in the form of a smile. “Okay. Sure, it’ll be fun. What day do you have in mind?”

“Is tomorrow alright with you?” Victor knew that he was supposed to be working a job the following night but surely he could dispose of one target before meeting Maggie for dinner. Besides, he really wanted to treat the blonde barmaid to a decent meal.

“Yeah, that sounds great.” 

“I’ll pick you up at 7 o’clock then.” Victor grinned, “I think I can remember the address.”

She smiled, “Goodnight Victor.”

“Goodnight Maggie.” 

And as Victor drove home that night, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was about to realise exactly why Maggie intrigued him so.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Sorry it's been so long since my last update, this chapter took incredibly long to write because I kept changing my mind about the ending. This fic will be a little bit of a slow-burner since I don't want Victor and Maggie's relationship to feel too rushed or easy, because they both have personality traits that would complicate things, thus slowing down the process.  
> Also, Maggie's brothers are briefly present in this chapter, but I don't know how important they will be throughout the fic just yet.
> 
> Hopefully you all like the outcome though; there should be quite a few more chapters to follow :)

Throughout the job that evening, Victor was unable to fully concentrate; too preoccupied with the prospect of his meeting with Maggie that was to follow. Victor already knew that carrying out the task at hand was going to take longer than he’d initially intended – what with the target behaving incredibly uncooperatively – which concerned him a great deal. 

Sure, on a typical night Victor wouldn’t have minded sitting around for hours with his target, taunting and torturing them until he was presented with the information that his client desired; however this wasn’t a typical night for the assassin. He actually had non work-related plans for the first time in a long while, yet the man before him seemed intent on making the job unnecessarily difficult. 

“I really don’t have time to play games.” Victor said impatiently, kneeling down to where the man sat; already weak and beaten, yet he didn’t appear eager to reveal anything to the hitman before him. “You either give me what my client wants…” He held his gun in front of the guy; waving it right in his face as if to taunt him further. “Or I will kill you.”

With a bitter expression, Victor’s target looked up. “Go to hell…” He hissed, glaring at Victor before he turned to the two women behind him. “I won’t tell you anything.”

“Alright then.” Victor exhaled deeply and got to his feet; smirking at his henchwomen. “Let’s make it quick. I have somewhere to be.”

~~~

It was just after 8 o’clock when Victor finally pulled up outside Maggie’s house. After rolling down his sleeves in order to conceal the tally marks that had been painfully carved into his skin, a symbol of his true identity, Victor headed up the steps and knocked on the door with apprehension. Surely Maggie would’ve given up on him by now – he was over an hour late after all – and besides, that’s what Victor would’ve done. Standing on the porch, Victor noticed the slight movement of the curtain covering the window to his right, shortly followed by the sound of a key turning in the lock. Eventually, a small boy appeared on the other side; carefully watching Victor through wary blue eyes.   
“Are you Victor?” He asked, never once looking away from Victor, apparently unafraid of the stranger before him. 

“Yes, I am.” Victor replied, unsure of how to approach the situation; unsurprisingly he rarely interacted with children, thus the boy had definitely left him at a loss for words. 

“I’m Alain.” The boy told Victor as he opened the door fully to let Victor inside the house. “Maggie’s just putting dad to bed. She’ll be happy to see you; she didn’t think you were coming.”

Victor followed Alain through to the living room, where a boy in his late teens was sat across the sofa; barely even registering Victor’s presence due to his attention with his cell phone. The room itself was small but modest; furnished with a sofa, armchair and a small TV that had been propped up against the wall. Despite the apparent lack of expense, Victor couldn’t help but detect the homey atmosphere; sensing that Maggie and her family had lived in the house for many years.

“Oh, Victor. I thought I heard you.” Maggie entered the room, smile in place despite Victor’s lack of punctuality. She glanced down at her clothes, the thick cardigan and jeans, and laughed anxiously. “Sorry, I didn’t expect to see you tonight.”

“You shouldn’t apologise. It was my fault for being so late.” Victor insisted quickly, still believing that Maggie looked well-suited in the clothes she was wearing. “I just wanted to tell you that in person; I truly regret not being able to take you out.”

She shook her head, “it’s really okay; better late than never. Please, sit down.” She pointed towards the arm chair before perching herself on the edge of the sofa. “I actually thought you’d forgotten about me, so I’m glad you at least came.” 

The older of the two boys briefly glanced up from his cell phone, eying Victor carefully before he returned his attention to whatever was on the screen. “Why were you late?” He asked bluntly.

Maggie nudged his legs, frowning slightly. “Hey Josh, don’t be rude.”

“There has to be a reason right?” Josh, stated; his stare challenging and somewhat confrontational. He was a stark contrast to the younger boy; who timidly stood on the sidelines as though a storm was approaching. “Just saying…” He shrugged casually before climbing off the sofa and leaving the room.

“I’m sorry Victor, my brother can be incredibly bad-mannered.” Maggie sighed, glancing at the door, apparently embarrassed by his behaviour.

Alain looked up quickly, attempting to read the situation. Being wise beyond his years, he figured that their guest had come to speak with Maggie, and that it was best to give them some space. “I’ll go to bed now too. Nice to meet you, Victor.” Frankly, his polite demeanour had taken Victor completely aback; it was rare to find someone respectful and honest in Gotham yet Maggie’s bright personality had clearly rubbed off onto him. 

“Is Alain also your brother?” Victor asked; unsure as to what the small boy’s relation to her was since they unmistakeably looked alike. 

Maggie nodded, “yeah he is. I’m just mortified that Josh said that to you; I’ll bring him out to apologise if you want.” 

Victor shook his head, “that’s not necessary. He’s right, I shouldn’t have been late.”

“Well I’m sure that you have your reasons.” Maggie said with a smile; although she didn’t go on to question Victor regarding what his reasons were. In fact, she hardly seemed concerned with the details. “There’s some leftover lasagne if you’re hungry?”

“That’s alright. It’s late; I wouldn’t want to keep you up.” Victor stood up to leave, “you must be tired.”

But Maggie smiled sweetly. “I haven’t eaten yet so I’m going to stay up for a while. You might as well keep me company, right?” She laughed, “I know this house isn’t a restaurant but I make a mean lasagne. Besides, I owe you.”

~~~

Victor couldn’t help but smile when Maggie set the plate down in front of him. It had honestly been a while since he’d had the time to eat a proper meal so to have someone cook for him was a welcome change. However, instead of joining Victor at the table, Maggie fussed about the kitchen; rummaging through cupboards hopelessly, which amused the hitman to an extent. After all, she had a certain level of cuteness about her.

“Looking for something?” He asked, trying to hide his smile. 

Maggie glanced behind her and laughed clumsily. “Oh, it’s just…I could’ve sworn we had something alcoholic in one of these cupboards.”

“Hey, relax. Water will do just fine.” Victor insisted, before nodding towards the chair beside him. “Please sit down.”

Sighing, Maggie quickly poured two glasses of water and joined Victor, at long last, at the table. For a moment or two, they ate in silence; with Maggie feeling genuinely fatigued and Victor unsure of what to say to the blonde. 

“This is really good.” Victor complimented, looking up from the plate and directly into Maggie’s blue eyes. 

She smiled graciously at the approval, “I’m glad you like it.”

Victor thought for a moment; pondering the appropriateness of all the questions he desperately wanted Maggie to answer. For the time being, he deciding to stick to the basics. “Do you cook often?”

“The only appliance my brothers use in this room is the fridge, so it’s up to me to put dinner on the table.” She shrugged, “I don’t mind though. Someone has to, right?”

“Doesn’t your father help with the housework?” Victor asked, recalling how Alain had mentioned their dad when he had first met the boy.

Maggie grew quiet for a moment and this made Victor anxious; he was fearful that he’d offended her in some way. “I don’t know how much my brothers told you about our family but…dad is reliant on constant care.” She paused, and Victor could tell that he was touching on delicate ground. “He’s been sick for a while now, and frankly we don’t know how long he’ll be with us.” 

“I’m very sorry to hear that.” Victor tried his best to sound sincere – because he genuinely was sorry for Maggie’s situation – yet he feared that it hadn’t come across in the way that he’d intended, because he certainly hadn’t found himself in such a situation in the past. “I…If there’s something I can do to help…”

“Thank you but…” Maggie smiled sadly. “I can’t even do anything; working those shifts is good for our financial situation but then I spend less time at home and…” She sucked in a shaky breath in an attempt to stop herself from bursting into tears, instead laughing at her own high emotional state as if to mask such feelings. “It honestly terrifies me.”

Victor just didn’t know what to do. It wasn’t like he could empathise with Maggie’s situation; he didn’t have anyone he cared about, nor had he ever experienced such a life-changing loss, therefore there was no way that Victor could even begin to understand what the barmaid was going through. All he could do was wrap an arm over her shoulder in an attempt to be supportive, he wanted so desperately to be able to offer some form of comfort. Because it was apparent that, while Maggie was putting on a brave face for the sake of those closest to her, she herself was struggling.

For a few moments, they stayed like that; with Victor gently rubbing Maggie’s shoulder while she tried her best to blink away the tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry.” Maggie whispered, “to be honest, tonight’s the first night off I’ve had in a long time.”

“Well in that case, perhaps we should do this again sometime.” Victor said without much thought; fearing that Maggie would be quick to reject the offer. But to Victor’s surprise, she didn’t.

“I think I’d like that.” She smiled, “now come on, let’s eat before it all goes cold.”

~~~

Eventually, Victor decided that it was time for him to leave; not wanting to keep Maggie up since she had to work in the morning. “Thank you, for the food.” He remarked as he walked into the hallway, ready to head out into the night. 

“You’re welcome, thanks for keeping me company.” Maggie’s warm presence once again pierced through Victor’s hardened exterior, and he just couldn’t hold back. Throughout the evening, Victor had slowly come to realise why he was so drawn to Maggie; it wasn’t until her emotions had gotten the better of her that it all became clear – she needed someone to look out for her. Evidently, Maggie was working two jobs to provide for her family but what about what she needed? 

Victor took Maggie’s chin between his thumb and forefinger and brought his lips onto hers. The feeling was sweet, yet somewhat strange, and Victor just couldn’t bring himself to look Maggie in the eye – fearing that she would be disgusted or offended by the bold move. 

“Victor…” Maggie hesitated, also unable to look up. “I’m very flattered but…”

Nodding quickly, Victor turned to fumble with the lock on the front door. “I apologise. It was wrong of me to even think…I should go.”

Frankly, Victor felt disgusted with himself; he’d never shied away from an issue before, but Maggie made him feel so…weak.

However, Maggie reached out to touch his shoulder gently. “It’s not you, Victor. I think you’re a lovely guy but my family has to come first. My dad and brothers…they need me.”   
It wasn’t like Victor could argue with the blonde’s reasons. Once again, she was being utterly selfless; putting her family before herself in order to ensure that they were happy at any cost. So all Victor could do was leave without a word, regardless of how powerless the situation had left him feeling. He hated how the evening had ended, how Maggie had looked at him as he left. She hadn’t even harboured a single ounce of abhorrence for Victor’s advances, instead her eyes had been filled with guilt – which pained Victor even more than the rejection itself. Maggie clearly blamed herself, and he couldn’t bear to think that his reckless actions had evoked those emotions. 

Victor never thought that he could give a damn about anyone other than himself but Maggie had contradicted his very code. Somehow, despite her turning him down, he just couldn’t walk away from her life indefinitely – not yet. Even if she couldn’t be with him, Victor needed Maggie to know that he genuinely cared. That he was willing to do anything for her.


	4. Chapter 4

Maggie found herself pacing the hallway long after Victor had left; she couldn’t help but overthink the situation, trying to understand why he’d developed some kind of crush on her. She wondered if she’d unwittingly led him on, or if she’d used his good nature by letting him act as her gratuitous taxi driver. Although Maggie had been genuinely looking forward to her dinner with Victor, she hadn’t perceived the evening as a ‘date’ of any sort. Until the moment that he kissed her, Maggie had never thought of his kind behaviour towards her as being anything more than just decent human behaviour – she hadn’t thought for so much as a second that Victor harboured any romantic feelings towards her – she had stopped thinking about dating a long time ago after all. 

Without a doubt, Maggie had enjoyed spending the evening with someone she could think of as a friend; being so preoccupied with caring for her family and working two jobs, her own life had almost been put on hold, hence why it had been a pleasant change to share a meal with someone. To have someone listen to her as she unloaded her heavy baggage.

“I’m not a little kid anymore. I can take care of myself, and dad too, you know.” 

Turning around quickly, Maggie was surprised to see Alain standing in the doorway to his and his brother’s bedroom. “I was awake the whole time; you told Victor that you couldn’t be with him, because of us.”

Maggie feigned a smile, “it’s a lot more complicated than that.”

“I thought you liked him.” Alain smirked a little, “right?”

“Yes, he’s a sweet guy but I never thought that…” She paused, smirking slightly. “You shouldn’t be eavesdropping you know.”

“I couldn’t sleep.” He replied, “I normally wait up until you come back from your shifts…just in case.”

Upon hearing his confession, Maggie smiled sympathetically and ruffled his hair. “You just focus on being a kid for now, okay?”

“Okay.” Alain nodded, “but you’re going to talk to Victor, aren’t you? You shouldn’t stop talking to him if he makes you happy.” 

Her youngest brother’s words stuck with Maggie throughout the rest of the night, because he’d been right in his assumption that Victor had an ability to make her feel more comfortable in her own skin. Somehow, he radiated a kind of mysterious charm that truly made her smile and Maggie didn’t want that to change just because of her self-doubts.

~~~

As Victor had vowed to himself that he wouldn’t walk away from Maggie just because of his lapse of clear judgement, he ended up driving to the library in search of her. However, Victor was just as reluctant as ever to make his presence known to the librarian; he didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable, nor did he feel as though he could face rejection a second time – even if he would never admit it. 

But unfortunately for him, Maggie’s instincts had driven her to believe that he’d show up sooner rather than later; hence why she was quite alert throughout the whole morning. And when she heard footsteps along the wooden floor, walking up the adjacent aisle, Maggie peered through the space in the bookshelf and genuinely felt pleased to see Victor on the other side. 

While Maggie felt uncharacteristically shy around him, especially after their kiss the night before, Alain’s words really had resonated strongly within her. Victor did make her happy. So she found herself calling out to him without really thinking about it. “Hi…”

Turning quickly, Victor noticed Maggie watching him from among the books and just didn’t know what to say. It was rare for someone to catch him off-guard like that, to leave him at a loss for words, but the blonde certainly had that effect on him. 

“I know I look insane, hiding behind the books and all, but…can we talk?” Maggie asked, her tone soft yet somewhat shy. “Well I know we’re talking now but I mean, can we go somewhere and talk about…about last night. Only if you want to, of course. I just…” She paused, blushing slightly as her nerves became apparent. “I don’t want you to think that you did something wrong.” 

Without any hesitation, Victor nodded; relieved that Maggie still wanted to talk to him, that her bubbly nature hadn’t been diminished by his reckless move.   
“My lunch break is in half an hour. If you like we could meet in the park?” 

“Alright.” He managed a small smile. “I’ll be there.”

~~~

The day was foggier than most; although relatively warm, the clouds of mist and industrial waste established a sense of foreboding, making the afternoon feel cold and unkind.   
Victor walked straight across the block to the park that Maggie had mentioned; deciding to wait patiently for her, he sat down on an isolated bench and thought about her. As always, Maggie’s gaze had held no ounce of judgement and she had seemed genuine in her desire to meet him, which reassured Victor as it meant that she still didn’t see him as the rest of Gotham did; Maggie still regarded Victor as a typical human being and that had to at least count for something. 

There was a part of Victor that wanted to tell Maggie about what he did for a living; he was curious to see how she’d react, and if her typically warm disposition could endure such a revelation. Would she still accept him, even the darker sides of his personality? No, of course not. Maggie was a good person, better than most in fact, and even Victor knew that admitting such a thing would scare her away – if his somehow intimidating disposition didn’t do that first. 

When Victor eventually spotted Maggie’s silhouette walking towards him through the park, through the swirling mist, he found himself involuntarily smiling. He was relieved to see that the blonde hadn’t had an epiphany of sorts, a strong realisation that her involvement in Victor’s life was something she didn’t want, because he wouldn’t have blamed her for staying in the security of the library – away from danger…and from him. But there she was. 

“Thank you for coming.” Maggie said as she sat down on the bench beside him; although Victor made sure there was a safe distance between the two, not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable by his presence. “I was honestly afraid that I wouldn’t see you again…that I’d offended you…” She threw him a sideward glance, “it truly wasn’t my intention.”  
Victor shook his head, adamant that Maggie was the innocent party in the situation. “You’re not at fault whatsoever. I should’ve never…my actions were inappropriate.”

“You caught me a little off-guard, I’m not going to lie.” Maggie smiled coyly, “but that’s not to say that I…I didn’t like it.” It was evident that she felt just as much out of her comfort zone as Victor did when it came to questions of affection, but that somehow relaxed him into the position he’d unwittingly found himself being thrust into.

For a moment or two, Victor studied Maggie’s expression carefully; unsure as to whether or not she was lying for his sake, wanting to alleviate some of his own self-denunciation. But as expected, Victor was quick to realise that Maggie was being honest in everything she was saying.

“After you left last night, I received some wise words from a twelve year old.” She laughed a little, “and I realised that I enjoy your company. You’ve probably figured out that I don’t get out much and I guess I can be reluctant when it comes to what I want, but…I like you, Victor. Like, a lot.” 

Maggie’s confession hit Victor hard; not just because she’d opened up about her feelings towards him, but also since it was in that moment that he realised how much he had wanted her to say such a thing. Even if he didn’t overtly show it, Victor was overjoyed. 

“Maybe we could agree to just…take things slow and see what happens?” Maggie’s tone was gentle as she looked Victor straight in the eye.

“Only if you’re sure…” Victor was pleased with the offer; despite never having established a real relationship with a woman before, he genuinely wanted to spend more time with Maggie. He wanted to protect her from Gotham, to preserve her good nature in a city that tended to eradicate such positive qualities within a person. 

“I think I am.” Maggie said delicately, pausing momentarily as if to ponder her next sentence – or maybe, as Victor thought, she was questioning her own sanity. But of course that was just the hitman being silly in his assumptions. 

“Don’t worry, I won’t kiss you again.” He insisted quickly, still positioned at the edge of the bench so as not to make the blonde feel uncomfortable.  
“Maybe you should.” Maggie smiled, biting her lip. “At least this time I’m expecting it. I won’t freak out, I promise.”

When Maggie shifted closer towards him, Victor found it impossible to look away from her deep blue eyes; moving in to kiss her lips as tenderly as he had done the night before. And Maggie kissed him back. This time her thoughts were clearer, and her nerves long gone; she saw Victor as a gentle soul, someone who she could trust deeply. As for Victor, Maggie was the first person he’d ever cared about. Even if he hadn’t intended to let her into his head, she had so effortlessly become someone of great importance to Victor and he wanted to savour the moment for as long as possible. 

Maggie’s cheeks were pink when she pulled away and Victor made a mental note of how attractive she truly was; her blonde hair tied back into a messy ponytail, her curvaceous figure and that warm and genuine smile she possessed all added to his opinion of her as being the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen – and the only one who Victor had ever stopped to study carefully – fascinated by every single detail.

Tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, Maggie glanced down at her wristwatch; sighing when she saw the time. “I have to get back to the library now.”

Victor nodded in understanding and stood up from the bench. “I’ll walk you back there.”

“Thank you.” Maggie smiled and slung her bag over her shoulder; allowing Victor to walk her across the park and to her place of work, all while engaging in simple yet pleasant conversation. 

“We should go out sometime soon.” Victor insisted bluntly as they reached the library; his thoughts racing as he prepared to reluctantly walk away. 

The suddenness of his remark made Maggie laugh a little, but she nodded eagerly. “I’m free Sunday evening if that’s alright with you?”

Despite the fact that Victor knew he was swamped under with tasks all week, he wasn’t about to let a few elimination tasks get in the way of his budding romance with Maggie. 

Especially not before they’d gotten the chance to have their first real date. “Of course. I still owe you that meal I promised.”

“Okay, it’s a date.” Maggie smiled and turned to head inside. “I’ll see you on Sunday, Victor.”

Victor smiled back; still unable to comprehend the fact that this was real, that Maggie actually cared for him. Unlike the countless people that would stare in disgust or run from him in fear, Maggie only held great respect for the Victor; although he doubted that her warmth towards him would remain should she find out about his occupation. Hence why Victor was determined to do whatever it took to prevent Maggie from discovering the truth about his work…and about him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all!  
> So I won't say too much about this chapter other than it co-exists with episode 2x04 'Strikeforce', after Victor's shootout with the GCPD and all. Please enjoy and leave a review if you have the time!

Victor winced as he shifted gears, yet he continued to ignore the pain in his shoulder in order to give the road ahead his full attention. And so that his date in the passenger seat didn’t start asking questions. It would’ve most likely alarmed Maggie to find out that the man who she’d agreed to go out with had been involved in a stand-off with the GCPD a mere half hour before he’d shown up on her doorstep – whatever was going on between them would’ve all been over before it had even begun. 

For their first official date, Victor had chosen a quaint little restaurant on the outskirts of town, hoping that they’d be able to share a quiet meal without any interruptions. When they were escorted to their table, Victor just couldn’t look anywhere but in the warmth of Maggie’s eyes; her expression full of awe as she took in every sight in the restaurant, every sound and every warm smell. 

When Victor took his seat across from Maggie, he felt a sharp twinge and quickly tried to spark a conversation in an attempt to take his mind off the pain. “Is this place alright?” He wanted the date to go well, absent of any altercations, so it was necessary for him to behave like the man Maggie assumed him to be. 

Maggie smiled and nodded. “It’s lovely, thank you.”

Victor glanced around the room at the other couples; the men appeared to be entertaining their dates almost effortlessly, telling them jokes or showering them with gifts or flattery – which Victor had yet to offer. “You look nice.” He told Maggie quickly, realising that he hadn’t complimented his date once since he’d picked her up; having been preoccupied with concealing his bullet wound. Subsequently, Victor now noticed the subtle changes Maggie had made to her appearance; particularly the fact that her blonde hair had been freed from its ponytail. “You should wear your hair down more often. If you want to of course, I mean.”

“Thank you, Victor.” Maggie laughed softly, her expression warm and genuine as always. 

And that look of Maggie’s didn’t fade away throughout the evening; her geniality making Victor feel all the more at ease in her presence. 

“So, you run your own business, Victor?” Maggie asked him as she set down her glass of orange juice; apparently interested in Victor’s life, despite his constant attempts to keep Maggie in the dark about such details. Which was why he’d been forced to twist the truth a little.

“That’s right.” Victor nodded in affirmation. “It’s not a large business though; only a few people hire our services.” He decided to play it down in order to throw Maggie off the scent, and to change the subject entirely. 

“Still, I think it’s pretty impressive.” She smiled, “I bet it’s rewarding, to be able to help people like that, I mean. That’s why I wanted to be a nurse…”  
“Why didn’t you pursue that career?” 

Maggie glanced down, “I had to drop out of college. My mom…she walked out not long after dad’s accident and my brothers were only young, so that left me to pick up the pieces.” 

Victor noted how typical that was of Maggie, to sacrifice her own happiness for that of those she cared about. It was almost sad, because she clearly hadn’t been able to live her life without thinking of others first. 

Another sharp jolt of pain hit Victor where the bullet had buried itself in his shoulder, yet he once again attempted to supress this irrelevant discomfort; Maggie was the only one that mattered in that moment. But he must’ve pulled a face because Maggie was studying his expression carefully. Although Victor hadn’t made it obvious that he was suffering, his date could tell that something was wrong. “Are you okay?”

“Fine.” Victor insisted through gritted teeth; desperate to push through the pain to continue with the date. “I’m perfectly fine.”

However, Maggie was sceptical to believe his words; especially when she noticed a dark patch on his jacket. “Victor…you’re bleeding…”

Calmly, Victor glanced at the bloodstain around his left shoulder and shrugged as though his injury was insignificant. He was too lost in the moment, in Maggie’s gentle gaze, to think about his own wellbeing. But before Victor knew it, Maggie had rose from her seat to take his arm. “I’m taking you to the hospital.”

“No, that really isn’t necessary. It really is just a scrape.” Victor groaned, still determined to ignore the pain. “Let’s…just finish our meal.”

“Give me your car keys.” She urged him out of his seat, her face wrought with concern. “Please, Victor.”

Exhaling deeply, Victor handed Maggie his keys and allowed her to bundle him in the car. Although he would’ve never admitted it, the pain was becoming almost intolerable and Victor was barely able to remain conscious – yet he was still focused on one pressing matter. “Don’t take me to the hospital…” Victor murmured as Maggie turned on the ignition. “You can’t take me there.”

Maggie glanced to where Victor was sat slumped in the passenger seat. “Why not? Victor you need medical attention…”

“You…you were going to be a nurse…” He held his shoulder, wincing somewhat.

“You’re not suggesting…” Maggie’s face fell in shock. “No, Victor! You’ve lost a lot of blood and I’m not qualified to…what even happened to you, Victor?”

Victor knew he had to think of an explanation quickly; hence why the words that came from his mouth were so rushed and barely coherent. “I was shot…they’ll find me if I go to the hospital…”

“Shot?” Maggie could hardly believe what she was hearing. Turning to the side, she noticed how Victor’s breathing had slowed considerably, and that he was barely responsive. As much as she wanted to take him to the hospital to receive suitable care, Maggie really had believed what Victor had told her – and agreed that his life could be in danger, should she take him to the one place his shooter would’ve looked first. Hence why Maggie had no choice but to play nurse herself.

~~~

When Victor woke up, he was startled by how unfamiliar his surroundings were – and how he had no recollection of how he’d ended up in a bed that wasn’t his own. It wasn’t until Victor noticed the apron hanging on the armoire door that he realised where he was; memories of the night before flooding back to mind. He recalled how well his first date with Maggie was going before the bullet lodged in his shoulder became less easy to ignore. 

Glancing down, Victor saw the bandage around his shoulder and smiled to himself; he was coming to realise how much of a rare breed Maggie really was. There weren’t many people who’d be willing to remove a bullet on the first date, but Maggie might have actually saved his life. 

Climbing off the bed, Victor paced the room, looking over books and trinkets on her shelves. A framed photograph caught his eye; a teenage Maggie stood smiling with her two young brothers and an older man who Victor assumed to be their father, dressed in uniform – with a badge hanging from his neck. Upon closer inspection, Victor saw the word ‘Commissioner’ on the shield and realised that he had been high in the police ranks prior to his accident. 

Suddenly, the bedroom door opened and Maggie walked in; although she was quick to pull a surprised expression and turn to face the wall. “I’m sorry…I didn’t think you’d be up and about…”

It took Victor a moment to realise why Maggie was unable to face him but when the reason dawned on him, that she was coy about seeing him only half-dressed, he could only chuckle; finding her shyness to be completely adorable. “It’s really alright.” He decided to try a joke, smirking. “You can look if you want.”

“No, thank you. That’s okay.” Maggie paused, “I mean, well, it’s not that I wouldn’t like to…more that it’d be rude of me to…” She tittered slightly, still hiding her face from the man standing shirtless in her bedroom.

However, Victor approached Maggie and placed his hands on her shoulders, spinning her around to face him. “Oh, hi…” It was evident that Maggie was unsure of where to look; her gaze subconsciously falling on Victor’s defined torso, while he kept his hands firmly on her shoulders. 

“Hi.” Victor smiled, “I think I owe you my thanks since you did remove a bullet from my shoulder last night.”

“It’s fine, I’m just glad you’re okay.” Maggie thought for a moment. “But how exactly did you get shot in the first place?”

Victor paused and his hands fell from Maggie’s shoulders. “I, uh, it’s a long story…”

“Okay. But, well, when I was washing your jacket I found this….” Maggie nodded and reached into her jean pocket, taking out his weapon. “I don’t mean to pry, Victor, but why do you have a gun?” She lowered her voice as though the word was forbidden. 

Victor froze, his mind absent of any excuse as she watched him carefully. “I’m…” He paused; surely he couldn’t tell Maggie the truth. ‘Assassin’ wasn’t exactly the most conventional of careers and it was evident that not even Maggie would be able to keep her smile upon hearing the truth. So he said the first thing that came to mind, regardless of how stupid it sounded. 

“I work undercover for the GCPD. I was running a job before our date, that’s why I was shot. And why I couldn’t go to the hospital; that would’ve made me an easy target.” It was a terrible lie and Victor hated deceiving Maggie but he knew that he had to spin a few stories in order to keep her.

His story apparently satisfied Maggie as her smile returned. “Why didn’t you just tell me? That’s an impressive career and I’m sure it’s fulfilling to know that you’re doing some good in the world. That’s why I wanted to be a nurse, to give something back, you know?”

Victor felt a pang of guilt at that; he was realising how genuine Maggie was and that there was no ounce of malice within her whatsoever – so how had she been able to fall for Victor – surely she couldn’t see that same good in him? It was only there when Maggie was around him. It wasn’t real.

“You’d have been a great nurse.” He insisted; desperate to change the subject of his own career. “You did a good job patching me up after all.”

Maggie tilted her head to one side. “You still should’ve just gone to the hospital, you know. I think getting shot is a valid excuse to not turn up to a date.” 

“I know…I just didn’t want to let you down. Not again.” Victor winced a little as moved to sit back on the bed; the pain in his shoulder returning. He looked up and noticed a slight smile on Maggie’s face – it was one of sympathy and Victor hated how she seemed to pity him. “I wish you wouldn’t look at me like that. It makes me feel so weak.”

“Is that why you didn’t tell me you’d been shot?” Maggie tucked her blonde hair behind her ear as she moved towards the bed. “Victor, taking a bullet and refusing to get help doesn’t make you some tough guy. It just makes you an idiot.” She sat down beside Victor. “You don’t have to put on a tough front to impress me. I like you because you’re a good man, with a kind heart.” 

Her opinion of him made Victor feel both pleased and awful at the same time; he had so easily succeeded in fooling Maggie into believing he was some kind of saint – when in actual fact, he was a notorious hitman who could murder anyone without feeling a single ounce of remorse. 

“Anyway, I will go and find you a shirt to wear.” She smiled and stood up. “Then I’m making pancakes if you’re hungry?”

“I couldn’t…” Victor thought of Maggie’s family and how invasive it would be for him to join them.

“You’re a guest, Victor. And also my patient.” Maggie laughed softly. “So I won’t see you go hungry. In the meantime, just get some rest, alright?”

Victor nodded, “alright.” Then he watched Maggie head towards the door, although he knew there was something he had to say first. “Maggie…”

She turned around, smiling back at him. “Yes?”

“Thank you.” Victor met her gentle gaze. “You’re a good person. Too good to be true.”

Maggie’s eyes lit up and, even though she didn’t say a word, it was clear that Victor’s words had meant everything to her.


	6. Chapter 6

Victor spent much of the day in bed; the effects of his injury had become difficult to ignore, leaving him uncharacteristically tired and feeble. Since arriving at Maggie's, Victor had been unable to call his associates to inform them of his whereabouts – more importantly, to not come looking for him. Then there was the King of Gotham. It was undoubtable that he'd have questions regarding the success of his mission to take out the mayoral candidate, Randall Hobbs, but what was the hitman to say to him? It was rare for Victor to fail and it almost damaged his pride to acknowledge such a fact. Then there was the fact that he'd been spotted at the scene by Detective Gordon – and shot in the process. The whole incident had been a huge blip on Victor's typically perfect track record, and that truly frustrated him.

As Maggie was folding Victor's clothes, she couldn't help but think back to the gun she'd found in his jacket. As convincing as his story had been, it still unnerved her to have a firearm in the house; especially with her two younger brothers around.

She then heard Victor's mobile phone ringing and, when he didn't wake up at the sound, Maggie decided to answer the call on his behalf.

"Hello?"

"Who's this? Where's Zsasz?" A woman's voice answered, her tone quite brazen.

"My name is Maggie Shaw. Victor's with me. He's alright." She paused. "Sorry, can I ask who's calling?"

There was silence on the other end for a moment, before another female took the phone. "Could you remind Zsasz that we've got a job in an hour?"

Maggie shook her head as she glanced over at Victor's sleeping form. He looked exhausted from recent events; evidently unable to get out of bed, let alone work a job. "I don't think Victor will be able to work tonight. He was shot yesterday, he's sleeping it off."

"It's not like him to turn down a job. Wake him up and let us talk to him."

"I'm sorry, I really can't do that. He's been asleep all afternoon, he's not well and-"

Suddenly, Maggie felt the phone being snatched from her hands as Victor shot out of bed. Without a doubt, Maggie was surprised to have witnessed such a quick recovery; especially since he'd appeared to be asleep mere moments ago.

"No I haven't forgotten. I'll be there." Then, just like that, Victor hung up.

Maggie watched as her boyfriend grabbed his jacket from the edge of the bed and threw it on without so much as an explanation. But she wasn't about to let him walk out again. Instinctively, Maggie moved to stand in front of the door, her arms folded in an attempt to appear somewhat stern.

"What are you doing?"

"Where are you going?" Maggie countered, eyeing Victor closely. "You were shot less than 24 hours ago. You need to rest."

"This is important." Victor insisted, inhaling deeply as he attempted to conjure up the right words to help him reason with the blonde. "It's work. I'm helping people, like you said."

"I get that this is your livelihood but you could've died last night, Victor. How can you expect me to just let you run off into another dangerous situation?" Maggie met his steely eyes with a look of sadness. "What if something happens and I'm not there to help you?"

Victor reached for his gun and placed it in his holster. "You shouldn't concern yourself with such matters…" He muttered, an almost cold tone to his voice. He seemed indifferent, unsure of how to react to Maggie's concern for his safety. It wasn't like he was used to it, after all.

"Well I can't help it because I care about you." Maggie cried, genuinely hurt by his comment. "I don't want to lose you before whatever this is has even started."

A part of Victor was telling him to stop, to stay with his girlfriend instead of running off to yet another dangerous situation. But his work was his livelihood. His life.

"I'm sorry. I have to go." Victor insisted before he hurried out of the house; unable to look back at Maggie's heartbroken face.

She didn't know what was going on but she couldn't shake the feeling that Victor was keeping secrets from her.

Ever since her father's illness had struck him down, and her mother had walked out, Maggie had been forced to abandon any ambition and take on the role of the pillar holding the Shaw family together. In a way, such a task had brought out a truly maternal side to her; hence why Maggie tended to put the needs of those around her before her own. It caused Maggie to worry a little more than she should. Even though she hadn't known Victor for a long time, and had been in a relationship with him for even less time, Maggie felt attached to him and couldn't bear the thought of him getting hurt again.

But what Maggie didn't know was that Victor really was capable of looking out for himself on a job – in fact, he was typically the one to do the damage that she feared would happen to him. Of course Victor didn't intend to fill his girlfriend in on such a crucial detail though.

~~~

"This Maggie…she your girl?" One of Victor's henchwomen watched him closely as they waited for their target to arrive home. "She seems…nice."

"She is." Victor remained silent for a moment; not wanting to talk about Maggie while in the middle of a job – because he would essentially be bringing her into that dangerous world. He wanted to keep her as far away from all that as possible. She was too innocent, too good. She didn't deserve to get caught up in all that – in his real world.

"Does she know about all this?"

Victor shook his head, exhaling deeply as he thought of how abrupt he had been before walking out. Maggie deserved an explanation - the truth - but he just couldn't give it to her. Because he was too afraid of losing her.

"Zsasz? You okay?"

"Of course."

"Good. You need to go in there with a clear head. Forget about her for a while." She raised an eyebrow, studying Victor's expression carefully. Even with all the time Victor spent with his henchwomen, they were never able to really read what was going on in his mind. "Don't let her become some kind of distraction."

"I'm always focused." He insisted, holding his gun tightly. "There is no distraction."

~~~

After Victor had completed the job, his target having been killed, he decided to return to the Shaw house in case Maggie was still awake. He hated how he'd ran off, leaving her in such a distraught state, but Victor held his career in too high regard to just skip a mission. It would've cost him a tally mark too after all. For Victor, the assassin job was his livelihood...his life.

When Victor walked up the front steps, he noticed that the light was still on and decided to knock on the door, all while being careful not to wake Maggie's family. "Maggie, it's me…" Victor paused, unsure of what to say. He didn't believe he owed any apology, nor was he quite sure of how Maggie would react to his spontaneous reappearance at…2am?!

Maggie peered around the door, fiddling with the catch until she was able to let Victor inside. "I didn't think you'd be coming back." She whispered, closing the door behind him before she headed back through to the kitchen. "You'll have to excuse the mess." She nodded towards the stacked crockery on the kitchen counters. "I'm in the middle of cleaning."

"Are you aware that it's 2am?"

"Yes, are you?" Maggie sighed, "you were out there for hours, Victor. I was afraid that something had happened to you. I couldn't sleep so I…I decided to tidy the kitchen, to take my mind off things."

Victor smirked, acknowledging how Maggie had her own bizarre quirks – much like him. Although, granted, hers were far less…destructive than his. "You should go to sleep now." He insisted, watching his girlfriend closely as she began to dry each individual plate with her dishcloth before stacking it neatly away.

"Are we not going to talk about it?"

"About what?"

"How you ran off like that." Maggie turned around to face him, leaning against the counter. "I get that you're a workaholic – I'm the same – but I was worried about you because you were shot yesterday. You could've been hurt again."

Victor smiled reassuringly at Maggie, yet he was unable to understand the extent of her concern. "I'm perfectly fine, see?"

"I grew up watching my dad leave the house every day in his uniform, wondering if that'd be the last time I saw him. He was like you; always running headfirst into a dangerous situation. That was why he…" Maggie took a deep breath to steady her emotions. "That's why he was injured. I almost lost him that day and even now, he's not the man he used to be. Not even close."

Victor listened closely as the pain in Maggie's voice became clear.

"I'm scared because I don't want to see the same thing happen to you. I don't want the bad people in this world to take your life from you, like they did to him. I don't think I could go through that again."

"Well you won't have to." Victor pulled Maggie close against his chest. "See, I'm here. I won't leave you. Ever."

Maggie nuzzled against him, wrapping her arms around his back. "I might just hold you to that."

"That's fine by me." Victor smirked before he scooped the blonde up in his arms and carried her to her bedroom.

She squirmed in his arms, giggling quietly so as not to wake her family. "What about the dishes?"

"They won't go anywhere. Now get some rest." He carefully placed Maggie on the bed. Smiling, she nodded and freed her blonde hair from its ponytail before she moved to the drawers to get her pyjamas. Realising that it would be inappropriate to watch, Victor turned his back while Maggie changed out of her sweater and into a t-shirt and bottoms.

She pulled out a spare blanket from the drawer and moved towards the door. However, Victor stopped her, gently taking her arm. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to sleep on the sofa. You need to rest properly, your shoulder is—"

"Stay with me." Victor insisted, nodding towards the bed. "There's enough room."

However, Maggie shook her head; evidently anxious at the prospect of sleeping so close to her new boyfriend, even if she secretly wanted to. "I can't."

"I won't do anything to make you uncomfortable, if that's what worries you?" Victor said, smiling reassuringly at her. "Besides, I thought I was your patient?"

"Okay…" Maggie nodded reluctantly and watched as Victor climbed into bed and patted the space beside him. She turned off the lamp and carefully slipped under the covers beside him, being careful not to lie too close to Victor in case she hurt his shoulder. However, Victor wrapped his arm around the blonde; pulling her close against his bare chest.

"You're alright with this, aren't you?" Victor asked, feeling Maggie's body tense up slightly.

"It's not that, Victor..." She held him close, before her fingers carefully traced up his arm, to where the scars were present. "I didn't want to say anything before but when I patched you up, I noticed these scars and…they're self-inflicted aren't they?"

Victor didn't know why he was so surprised by Maggie's deduction; it was obvious that she was eventually going to notice them, and know that they meant something.

"It's just…they look so painful, Victor." She glanced over her shoulder at him. "Why would you do that to yourself?" Again, she touched them carefully but stopped when she noticed the change. Victor had been out on a job that night after all. "This one's new, isn't it? Did you do this after you left here earlier?"

"Maggie, it's not important…" He mumbled, still holding her close. "Let's just go to sleep."

"You can talk to me, you know." Maggie whispered. "You can tell me anything and I won't judge you, Victor. I promise."

While that moment seemed like an ideal opportunity for Victor to open up about his dangerous career, the huge secret he'd been keeping from her, the hitman decided not to say another word. Instead he drifted off to sleep, leaving Maggie to wonder how honest her boyfriend was being with her.


End file.
